


Spideria and the things we do

by AaviCharlie



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-09 10:43:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13479840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AaviCharlie/pseuds/AaviCharlie
Summary: Coffee shop AU! Kurapika owns a coffee shop and tries to keep things together as Chrollo comes in and tangles him into his web.





	1. Uneasy yet boiling

**Author's Note:**

  * For [...you know who you are](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=...you+know+who+you+are).



A tap to the clean glass. Another one, this time slightly more tiresome. Kurapika noticed the third one and smiled calmly as he steered his gaze from the bucket and rug in front of him. It was barely opening time and there was a lot of cleaning to be done. The blonde rose from his seat and quietly walked to the door where his friend Leorio smiled widely. He unlocked the door with a yawn.   
”Up again early, Leorio?” The black haired man grinned and showed his medical books that looked more like bricks. ”Gotta cram for the exams. Can I come in early Kurapika?” Kurapika let Leorio in gladly to have company. Even though the tall man would probably drown in his coffee and make frustrated noises, it was still better than cleaning off stains alone. Running a coffee shop was hard with so little resources.

”Are Gon and Killua going to come here for lunch?” Kurapika’s question reached Leorio after a while and the man grunted for an answer at first. His reading glasses looked funny on him, Kurapika thought to himself. Then Leorio sighed and took a better position at his usual place near the window with lavender colored markings on the frames. ”Yes. Those two eat like starving horses. No wonder they rather eat at here than at that crappy middle school cafeteria,” Leorio spat out the last words like they were poison.   
Kurapika didn’t like the school either. It was shady. Killua didn’t have to go to there but he wanted to be where Gon was. And the kids didn’t really complain. They just made sure to get quality nutrition. Kurapika chuckled quietly as he wiped the last table clean and moved towards the coffee machines. Peculiar boys, he pondered as he reached in to check the equipment. That’s when there was a tap at the glass again. 

Kurapika looked at the man. He was dressed in a nice, expensive suit. His short black hair was perfect in many ways and his grey eyes seemed to impale Kurapika. The man got Leorio’s attention too. ”Who is that, Kurapika,” he asked protectively and got a confused sound from the younger man.   
Kurapika hurried to the door and opened it, starting his ”we are not open yet”-speech. The man listened and smiled slightly but charmingly. ”I just wanted to inform you that one of your coffee shop sign got knocked away by the wind,” the man told Kurapika and lifted the giant sign with ease so that they could both see it. Then he smiled again, almost dazzlingly. It was too warm for Kurapika’s comfort. It made him uneasy.  
”Where do you want me to put it?” The question yanked Kurapika back to the earth and he startled. He recovered fast and took the sign with not that much ease. ”I-it’s okay, I’ll put it up later. Thank you!” The man nodded and seemed to be on his way before stopping and glancing over his shoulder at the blonde. ”Do you sell those antique books you have on your displays?” Kurapika tilted his head and shook his head, ”no, they are not on sale.” ”Is that so? Such a shame. But we’ll be seeing each other again soon. Sorry for taking your time like this.” 

Kurapika locked the door again and looked at the amused Leorio. ”You pretty boys. The only difference is that he was charmful as where you are shy. But he reeked like bad fortune. He must be a mafia boss or something.” Leorio picked up the book again and sighed so deeply it made Kurapika smile faintly. He was usually either straight on right about his person-readings but Leorio also had a bad habit of being terribly bad at interpreting other people. The man had seemed helpful and nice, and Kurapika was too tired to think badly of new acquaintances. ”Thankfully I have you for that,” he voiced his thoughts out loud and got a wide smile from his friend.  
Leorio stayed for a good while again, glued to his books. Kurapika sometimes worried for his overworking perfectionist friend. He was a good soul, the blonde thought to himself as he checked the register again. A good soul who just wanted everyone’s best. Kurapika sometimes wished he could be more like Leorio, in a sense. He wanted to be more unselfish and giving. Instead he was fixated on his shop, the only thing left from his family. 

When the doors opened it only took Leorio two hours before he got fed up with the loud noises and middle schoolers skipping classes. He packed his bag and waved at Kurapika who was at the register. ”Tell the boys I said hi!” He yelled and was very quickly evading a group of teenagers. Kurapika nodded in hurry and re-adjusted his golden blue apron that always decided to open at bad times. He hated the fabric of if but liked the colors.   
It was always busy at the start of the day but then there was a drop at visitors. Teenagers loved the place but school usually forced them to only visit during the morning hours or late evenings. They loved the old feeling the shop had. Dark wood with delicate decoration painting. Big velvet red shelves filled with old books. A bigger cabinet with antique books mesmerizing to look at. The rag rugs were big, round and colorful. A tradition Kurapika wanted desperately hold on to.   
As always, Kurapika’s daydreaming was interrupted. This time he kinda recognized the voice and sharpened up immediately. And there he was. The man from the morning. He was smiling again and it made Kurapika feel pain in his heart again. This time he had taken the jacked off and looked a bit more casual. The blonde noticed a spider tattoo on his hand.   
”Spideria. I like the name,” he chuckled and Kurapika was baffled by the topic. Then he reminded himself that he indeed owned a coffee shop. ”Yes. I have always found myself be drawn to spiders,” he answered calmly. The man chuckled again, this time with much more emotions put into it. Then he looked at the menu and ordered a black coffee and a chocolate brownie with mocha sauce.   
There were no other people around when the man was there, so Kurapika let himself be a little less busy. He gave the black haired man his order and then leaned on the counter. That’s when the stranger introduced himself. 

”I’m Chrollo Lucifer. I really find your coffee shop marvelous. And in such a good place too.” Kurapika was speechless again. He didn’t get much attention as he was quite quiet and withdrawn. It took him a while before he muttered his name and thanked for the compliments, a small smile dancing on his lips. Chrollo hummed approvingly and took his tray. As he was walking to his table he clearly flirted with Kurapika, with a voice filled with honey.   
”You should smile more often. It suits you.” The smile. The attitude. The looks. All were like some sick joke, a twisted play. But Kurapika was sure the creature in front of him was real and alive. 

Kurapika’s heart fluttered as he returned to stare intensely at the registry, like it had just offended him deeply. And that was how he met Chrollo.


	2. Lonely

”He is a what?” Leorio couldn’t manage to keep his voice down. Thankfully it was, again, the brink of the morning. Kurapika nodded and rummaged through his pockets to reveal a fancy black business card. ”A real estate agent, yes. And a fancy one too.”   
Leorio made a noise that wasn’t a happy one. ”Still rings my mafia bells. That guy has the most expensive looking cards I have ever seen.” He glanced at his books with disgust but his expression softened when Kurapika looked at him pleadingly. Leorio knew how lonely his friend was, and getting attention from someone was always a nice thing. He just couldn’t shake the bad feeling.   
”Maybe he is a bad guy,” Kurapika sighed and continued then softly, ”but I have this mixed feeling radiating from him. And it makes me curious.” 

Chrollo opened a door leading to a clean and dark colored building that belonged to his company. He walked in to the floor for staff members, smiling pleasantly and carrying a new stack of ancient books for his special display.   
”Boss, how did it go yesterday?” The question was asked by a blonde young man, always cheerful and up for the job. He was wearing a casual hoodie and jeans and was making coffee for everyone. Chrollo chuckled softly. ”It was pleasant. The owner of the place is... amusing.” ”Meaning you want em huh?” Shalnark noted and gave out a laugh.   
Chrollo tilted his head and looked at his trusted employee. ”Yes, you could say that.” Then the man noticed the lack of other members and glanced at Shalnark. The blonde smirked. ”Pakunoda is working at the reports already, while Shizuku sleeps in there to keep her company. Franklin and Uvogin went together to track the client down. She’s a tough nut, almost got away.” Chrollo nodded approvingly and looked at the book on his hands.   
Shalnark stared at Chrollo and grinned, ”did you get that from the coffee shop?” The pale man hummed and shook his head amusedly. ”Not for sale,” he purred and walked to the bookshelf to put his new treasure on. ”I will go there after hours,” he added softly, his whole demeanor being too calm and collective.   
”Oh, Shalnark,” Chrollo mumbled as he remembered something important. The younger man smiled widely and tilted his head. ”I need you to get some information for me.” Shalnark laughed out loud and made a clicking noise with his tongue. ”Of course boss, I’ll get right at it.” 

Kurapika had to take a break from his morning duties after Leorio saw him panting from the strain. So he decided to use the time to check out on Chrollo. And he was baffled out to find out that the young man was not only a fancy real estate agent, he was the owner of the whole thing. The business wasn’t that old but it had bloomed very quickly, very suspiciously, Leorio added. ”Mafia, let me say that,” he continued adamantly. Then he peeked at Kurapika’s screen again. ”So there is this main group of people working there and others are quite nameless compared to them. They want to keep it like that I bet.”   
Kurapika listened at Leorio going off about all things wrong about Chrollo and his real estate job. At the same time he couldn’t help but try and find more information about the mysterious stranger. No social media, no web pages other than his business’. Nothing. Frustration coiled inside of him like a snake.   
”Not that any of that matters,” he sighed and decided he had rested enough. ”Not very likely for such a man to visit me again. And I have too much work to even think about those things anyway.” 

Kurapika enjoyed his job most of the time, even if it was straining and hectic. The shop was his everything and the people who supported him were his family. 

”Kurapika, did you really get a shady man here yesterday huh?” Killua was blunt as always, eating his food like it was a contest. And it was. Gon’s greenishly black hair was out of control when the boy stuffed food in his mouth like no tomorrow. Killua grinned and tried to hurry up and listen at the same time. Kurapika was busy but always had time for the two boys. ”Usually you don’t trust anything that Leorio says and now you take his word,” Kurapika chuckled and decided to wait for the food wars to be over. He knew there wouldn’t be a winner.  
”So, who are you talking about?” Gon was now curious. Killua had cat like eyes glued on to him, mischief written all over his face. ”A new lover perhaps,” he exclaimed and Kurapika lifted his hands up to calm the boys down. ”Whoa, a man talks to me and you two treat it like a miracle. There is no discussion needed. A man was nice to me, end of story.” Killua booed and Gon was trying to get on the boat. They would have started to ask for more details because of their curious natures but school waited for nobody. The silver haired boy shot a look at Kurapika before they left the shop. 

Kurapika managed to get a full day without any scratches or burns and he was content with that. He didn’t need much in his life. Just something stable, he thought to himself as he was cleaning up for the day, the shop already closed and empty of customers. 

Tap on the glass. 

Kurapika got startled and quickly turned around. Chrollo smiled from the other side of the class, pointing at the door. It didn’t take the blonde man long before he was already opening the door.   
”H-hello?” Kurapika managed to blurt out. Chrollo chuckled, mesmerizing eyes watching the younger man intensely, mysteriously as the night surrounding them. ”Evening. I was supposed to come here during the opening hours but work got busy. I have a very silly reason to bother you.”   
His voice was pleasant, Kurapika thought before asking about the silly reason. Chrollo ran his fingers through his silky hair and seemed almost flustered. Almost, because he seemed too calm for that. ”I gave you my company card that has my business number. I was supposed to give you this,” his words were followed by another card. A card which had his personal number.  
Kurapika could feel his cheeks redden as he took the card. He didn’t want to seem rude with all the questions in his mind. The confusion was still playing games on his expressions and Chrollo laughed softly. ”I’m not saying you need to contact me, I’m a stranger after all.” 

Chrollo turned to leave but Kurapika interrupted his steps with his hurried words. ”Do you wan’t some coffee? I mean you came all the way here.” The taller man seemed to consider the offer before going with it. He took swift steps inside, closing the door behind him. 

”So uh, how did you find about my shop?” Kurapika asked curiously as he placed a big cup of black coffee in front of Chrollo. Then he sat to the other chair, feeling awkward by the second in his messy apron. The other man took a sip of his drink and glanced at Kurapika. ”My friend is good at finding interesting places,” his answer was short and didn’t really give any information. Kurapika could feel the flame of doubt flickering inside him, Leorio’s words echoing in his head.   
”I’m not here about the books, I promise,” Chrollo hurried to assure the blonde man. He smiled charmingly and continued much more subtly, ”you looked like you were... lonely. I’m sorry for my rudeness.” Kurapika shook his head hastily and smiled embarrassedly, ”No, I mean... you are not wrong, so no harm done. I appreciate the thought.”   
”So you don’t feel like I’m trespassing here,” Chrollo asked politely, his eyes fixated on Kurapika. The blonde could feel his ears burning red. ”Not at all, I enjoy company.” The dark haired man chuckled at the answer and put the cup down on to the wooden table. He then started asking Kurapika question, about the coffee shop, about life in general, about things the man liked. It was a long conversation, a one that sparked feeling inside the younger man.   
It wasn’t until hours later that Chrollo suddenly looked at the clock and seemed surprised, ”Oh, I have kept you for a tremendous amount of time. Do you need help with the cleaning? I would love to help.” Kurapika was quick to decline the offer. ”No, I’m almost done anyway. It was... very nice talking with you, Chrollo. I hope I wasn’t too dull.”   
Chrollo laughed softly and leaned his cheek on to his hand. ”Dull? Not at all. You were captivating. If you want to meet in your free time, just give me a call.” Kurapika could only nod as the other man rose and glanced at him one more time before leaving to the night. The blonde clutched at his chest, deciding on that second that he would not tell all the details to Leorio. He wanted the feeling to last without any plantations of suspicion.


	3. Haunted heart

Kurapika was baffled by the kindness Chrollo gave him day after day. Sweet messages filled with encouragement and words that made the younger man blush. They were seemingly sincere and soft. Leorio on the other hand didn’t buy any of it. It was another morning with his rough opinions about the dark haired mystery real estate agent.  
”Trust me when I say this Kurapika, he is no good! I have a hunch. He is suspicious. I can’t say why but… I mean who is that rich and only in his twenties? And have you seen his friends?! Of course you didn’t but let me tell you, I did. They were waiting for him when he visited yesterday. They looked like hitmen.” Kurapika closed his eyes and sighed so deeply it rummaged inside of him. ”Are you done, Leorio?” He asked as calmly as he could while cleaning the tables. ”You are just protective and I appreciate it but could you go easy on him?” He looked at his friend pleadingly, asking for him to let this one go, just this one time.  
Leorio stared at Kurapika for a good while, observing his friend thoroughly, making sure he didn’t miss any clues. When he saw how serious the blonde was he gave in. ”Okay, just this once. I will keep my suspicions to myself.” Kurapika smiled softly and gave out a sigh of relief.  
”Killua will keep his mouth shut too,” Leorio mumbled and Kurapika laughed weakly. He didn’t need constant reminders of Chrollo’s creepy demeanor that he just couldn’t see as clearly.

Buzz of a phone made Kurapika startle from his thoughts. He took out his cellphone and looked at the short message from Chrollo, his cheek starting to burn up slowly.  
”Would you like to go on a date today?” The message was clear. Kurapika read it again and again. He didn’t want to seem too rushed so he waited a moment before replying. Indeed, he wanted to go on a date with the well spoken man who showered him with attention. The mere thought made him go weak on his legs. It was quick but not too quick. Kurapika took a deep breath and pressed the phone against his chest.  
Chrollo’s casual tone of the message made Kurapika wonder if the man was even serious. Chrollo didn’t seem like a guy who would joke about that kind of things though. Kurapika checked his phone constantly in hopes of more information about the date. It wasn’t until the last hours of his work when he got a familiar beep in his pocket.

”I will come pick you up at 7pm, is that okay? Can’t wait to see you.”  
Kurapika looked at the clock. It was 6pm, so he truly had to hurry. He had no idea where they were going on what he should wear. It was all too fast for him but also it made him curious for more. So many questions about Chrollo, about his job, about their meetings, about all that was happening. A storm was brewing inside of the coffee shop keeper, a storm that brought poisonous flowers with it to stumble upon. 

Kurapika didn’t know how to react. He didn’t know what faces to make in his casual clothing, standing in front of a very expensive restaurant. Chrollo was not wearing anything out of ordinary but the man already had a sensible fashion style. Kurapika felt himself get tenser by the minute. He was a coffee maker, not a fine dining guy.   
Chrollo took one look at Kurapika before scratching the back of his head and chuckling quietly. ”This was a bad idea, wasn’t it,” he asked softly and Kurapika tried to assure the man it was not. Even when it was. Chrollo looked at the restaurant sign, then back at his date, then at his car.   
”Sorry, I’m not really fit for this kind of thing...” Kurapika mumbled with shadows of uneasyness grasping at his body. Chrollo shook his head and smiled understandingly. ”No, no, I’m the one at fault. I have been spending too much time with this kind of people.” He looked around like he had something on his mind.   
Chrollo grabbed Kurapika’s hand swiftly, making the blonde shiver and lift his gaze. ”I remember you talking about haunted houses. Would you like to see one?” Kurapika lost his words and almost didn’t answer the man. He was starting to wonder where Chrollo would pull a haunted house from. ”Y-yes,” he managed to answer before rubbing his face with his free hand. ”I always forget that you are working in real estate business...”   
Chrollo tilted his head and lifted the hand he was holding so that he could press a clicheish kiss to the palm of it. ”I should have taken you there from the start. Truthfully, it would have been much less awkward of me.” Kurapika couldn’t agree more but he didn’t want to blame Chrollo too much. A date was a date, no matter how stiffly it started. 

A date. Chrollo was driving, and not just the car. Kurapika looked out to the moving silhouettes of the city and tried to not listen to his embarrassingly loud heartbeat. A date, he repeated. To a haunted house out of all things. It seemed like Chrollo knew all the right words and steps in the dance of tranquility that made the suspicions quiet down.  
”Are you okay?” Kurapika registered the question a bit late as he tried to rip himself away from his hazy thought. He assured Chrollo he was totally fine, just a bit confused about all that was happening. ”You are just... very nice to me,” he explained like it was a rare thing in his life. The dark haired man lifted a brow and quickly looked at Kurapika before returning his gaze back to the road. 

”Why wouldn’t I be nice to you, Kurapika? I would be a fool if I ruined my chance.” 

Kurapika couldn’t figure out right words, yet again. He just hoped Chrollo was too busy with the road and not the blush that was playing with his pale face. The blonde couldn’t help but smile.

The house was more like a big mansion for rich people. It had the old rustic feeling to it but it was clearly well kept. It was painted with dark colors and had some gothic tones to it. Big windows, wooden decor, marble and other materials. The atmosphere was eerie. It had taken them quite a while to drive to the estate that had some forest on it’s yard too.   
When Chrollo had said a haunted house, Kurapika had thought of a little less big, old building with creaky floors and boarded up windows. Nothing like what he was seeing in front of him.   
”So, it has electricity and all?” Kurapika asked and was ashamed of how disappointed he was sounding. Chrollo laughed at the man’s reaction and patted his shoulder gently. ”Yes, it is a bit more luxurious than what you usually see. But it definitely is haunted. And creepy. Come, let’s go take a tour.” He took Kurapika’s hand once again, squeezing it quickly before leading them in. 

Everything was clean and orderly. The gothic theme continued. Lot’s of dark red and black. Kurapika stared at the walls filled with gorgeous old paintings. It was a mixture of antique and modern demeanor.   
Kurapika looked at Chrollo and relaxed a bit. He chuckled quietly, ”well, tell me about the haunted part of this house? Did someone die here or something?” The taller man responded to the laughter with his own and nodded. ”Long ago this was owned by a Chinese man known for his supernatural powers and havoc creating skills. The myth is that all the trespassers he killed are now trapped here in the premises. And that his powers drew in more souls to this house.”   
Chrollo shrugged his shoulders and grinned playfully when he saw Kurapika’s face of utmost disbelief. ”Of course, that was just something my fed up friend made up when I asked about the history and the hauntings. But his relative did own the house. Feitan owns it now and we are selling it when the right owner comes.”   
Kurapika was baffles at how smoothly Chrollo could lighten the mood and make funny remarks. ”So you don’t really know how it’s haunted,” he dared to tease his date, with a small smile on his lips. Chrollo lifted his hands up to pretend surrender. ”You can see it for yourself. I’m just a humble tour guide for my coffee shop keeper.” 

Humble tour guide. Chrollo surely was much more than that. Also, did he just say 'my', Kurapika thought to himself as he followed a dark corridor towards the dining hall. Everything seemed normal enough if you didn’t count the creepy atmosphere.  
Suddenly Kurapika winced. He stopped and covered his nose, mumbling under his breath, ”it reeks like rotten...” Chrollo looked almost smug as he nodded. ”And it’s really cold suddenly,” Kurapika continued, shivering as he got goosebumps. Yet another nod, and a soft laugh, ”This place is cleaned properly and well heated.”   
Kurapika couldn’t help himself but the teasing tone Chrollo had going on made him embarrassed. He sped up his pace to go to the dining room that had a long mahogany table filled with silverware. He was actually excited, getting shivers and a bit of a creepy feeling was a plus. It was his secret hobby, horror.   
Kurapika looked around the room but nothing was out of ordinary. He glanced at the grandfather clock that was stopped at 9:23, pristine clean as everything else in the mansion. Kurapika felt like a small child in a candy store as he went through all the little details in the room. His mind rummaged through possible hauntings and stories behind them. For those moments his heart rested from the flutters. 

When Kurapika remembered that they were supposed to be on a date, he paid attention to calm and collective Chrollo. The man didn’t seem to mind the lack of talking. So Kurapika decided to ask about his job or friends to keep the conversation alive and well.   
”It’s nothing too interesting, really,” Chrollo started and let out a amused laugh, ”just dealing with rich people and their needs. And finding good estates to sell. Me and my friends started the business so that everyone’s abilities would be of use.”   
Kurapika was mesmerized to hear about all the different personalities Chrollo worked with. He was so in thought that after a short pause he instinctively looked at the clock that was stopped to see the time. To his surprise it was now pointing at 5:11, standing silent and tall. Kurapika made a strangled noise and didn’t even think as he took Chrollo’s hand and pointed at the clock. ”Look! It moved!”   
Chrollo chuckled and looked at their hands for a while before nodding. ”Yes. It’s not supposed to work but sometimes it still does.” He tilted his head and brushed Kurapika’s palm with his thumb. Now the other man realized he was holding the hand and blushed deeply, his eyes now fixated on the taller man in front of him. When did Chrollo get so close? Was it when he was too excited about possible paranormal activity, a mere clock that moved?   
Kurapika yelped silently when Chrollo suddenly leaned forward, so that his face was nearer. The man was now so near that the blonde could smell his perfume. Kurapika didn’t let go of the hand, he couldn’t, he wouldn’t. 

Suddenly the dining hall door flung open. It took the two of them only seconds to get further away from each others. It took even less time for Kurapika to look at Leorio in dismay. His friend huffed as if he had been running, and he pointed at Chrollo angrily. ”You! Get away from Kurapika!”   
”Leorio!” Kurapika yelled in disbelief, his heart making him feel sick. ”What are you doing here?!” Leorio scoffed and walked closer to them, making big aggressive gestures at Chrollo. ”I’m here to tell you that he is not what you think he is! Look, I found evidence tha-” ”I don’t want to hear another word from you! How dare you do this to me after what you promised?! I’ve had it with you and your overprotective, impulsive behavior... I can’t believe you?!”   
Kurapika didn’t want to hear a word anymore. He stormed right past Leorio, out of the doors and straight back to the car, leaving the two dark haired men by themselves.   
Leorio stared at Chrollo coldly. ”I know you are not up to anything good, you dirt,” he mumbled but got no real reaction from the other man. Chrollo stood quiet for a good while before straightening his jacket and getting ready to leave. 

Before Chrollo was out of the door he stopped to his tracks and turned around to look at Leorio. His voice was calm but threatening. 

"While I understand your worry for your friend, I don't appreciate the interruption..." He tilted his head and now the words were filled with potential danger, ”I am much more invested in his happiness than you can imagine. If I were you, I’d keep my suspicions to myself."


End file.
